Kaija’s Motto:

“My motto has become, ‘Just do it’. Yeah, it may be the Nike’ slogan, but it also encompasses my attitude as of lately. I’ve spent many years standing on the sideline, thinking of doing amazing things or daring things, but have always stayed complacent. Since summer ended, a time in which I held back a lot and let opportunities pass, I’ve been making a conscious effort to do what I want to do. I’d rather have a life full of ‘I can’t believe I did that’ than one of ‘I wish I’d done more.’”

How it Began:

At Wapahani High School, Kaija Aikman is ranked as number 1 in her junior class, has been recognized as the Outstanding Student of the Year, Who’s Who Among American Scholar, and earned the United States Achievement Academy’s PE Award, to name a few. She’s an active participant in varsity softball as well and has played on the All County Softball Team, MEC All Conference Softball Team, Indiana All District Softball Team, MEC All Conference Softball Team, and holds the WHS Girls Dead Lift Record, in addition to winning the Offensive Player of the Year award.

“The best advice I’ve ever received was from my fourth grade teacher. He never really gave verbal advice, per say, but he taught me every day what it meant to live to your full potential,” said Kaija. “Mr. Suits also taught me that life is about what you can create and give to others, rather than what you can take from others.”

What’s Next?

After high school, Kaija wants to be a conservation biologist, zoologist, and photographer.

“But, those are just titles. What I really want to do is shed a whole lot of light on the world’s ugliest issues, first and foremost, global warming. I want to make a change not just by working with the animals and habitats that ware affected by our carelessness, but also work behind the lens of a camera to show everybody in the world exactly what global warming is doing. They may not care if all they know is some ice is melting, but they can’t ignore a photo of polar bears that have starved to death and towns destroyed by rising sea levels,” said Kaija.

Parental Guidance:

“My family makes me so proud. Both of my parents came from very poor families. My mother was adopted and lived on a farm… my dad’s parents lived in a tiny trailer in a trailer park,” said Kaija. “They worked hard and though neither got a full college education, my dad found a factory job and my mom worked at a daycare once they moved back to Indiana and had me [and then later my brother].”

“I built my own empire in my backyard, and my father built his own in his work. Now my dad is always in high demand to fix cranes all over the United States… My parents started with virtually nothing but a house and parents, and now have enough money to live quite comfortably and support me and my brother to be the best we can be and be what we want to be,” said Kaija.

Parent’s Perspective:

James and Debra Aikman admire Kaija for staying true to herself and to her morals. “Even though she’s a junior, she hasn’t given in to peer pressure. There have been several opportunities for her to attend parties that have included alcohol but she has always made the decision not to attend them. Instead, she invites a friend over, reads, go work out or does homework,” said Debra.

“From the very beginning, we have always talked to Kaija about working hard to go further in life. Since we both had a touch childhood, we explained how hard it can be if you only work at being average. She knows that if she wants a better life, to travel, and do things she can’t do in our small town, she has to work hard. We both grew up in lower class households,” said Debra.

Parent to Parent:

Both Debra and James had parents who didn’t attend college “and one didn’t even graduate high school.” However, through them they learned to work hard as adults to provide the best life they could for their kids.

The Aikman’s parental advice to other parents is as follows:

“Keep an open line of communication. We have always told Kaija that no matter what, in the end we want the best for her and want her to be honest with us. She understands that we push her to do her best because we want her to succeed.”